The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (940 page)

BOOK: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions
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Hara
(Skt., ‘seizer’). A name of
iva
. He is sometimes represented iconographically as Hari-Hara, appearing as a single god representing the two principal deities
Vi
u
and
iva.
Harai
or harae
(Jap.,
harau
, ‘to sweep or cleanse').
Shinto
rite of
exorcism
or purification. It refers principally to ritual purification brought on by the waving of a sacred wand in order to prepare for worship. In other contexts, it may also refer to ritual cleansing (
misogi
) or other acts of atonement.
Hara-kiri
(Jap.). The means through which Japanese (Shinto and Zen) demonstrate mastery of death through
seppuku
, by cutting into the hara—the inner part of the body beneath the abdomen, which is believed to be the vital centre of life and control.
aram
(Arab., not to be confused with
ar
m
). A sacred enclave, or territory, whose sanctity makes it immune from certain practices (e.g. hunting, tree-felling, trading), being set apart and hallowed for purposes of pilgrimage. The
aram at
Mecca
is the supreme example.
In a wider sense, it is the term used for
women's
apartments inaccessible to strangers—i.e. the harem (
ar
m
).

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